mercy

“A Christian should not and cannot (if he remains a Christian) be an unmerciful or vindictive man, because he has become God’s child, and from Him he has obtained mercy, in which he lives without ceasing. He should not have desire for or joy in his neighbor’s harm and misfortune or have a bitter, harsh, and stubborn heart toward him. Rather, he is much more disposed to show mercy to his neighbor, even to one who is hostile to him, and to take pity on his blindness and misery, because he sees him lying in God’s wrath and leading himself into eternal ruin and damnation, so that he is already all too highly avenged on him. Just for that reason he should be kind to him and show him all charity (provided that he will tolerate and accept it), so that in this way he may win him and bring him to repentance” (LW 78:192).

“Suppose it were true that our sins are forgiven because of our contrition, as the bull teaches, and not because of God’s word alone, as my article says. If this were so, a man could boast before God that he had attained grace and forgiveness by his own contrition and merit and not solely by the mercy of God. This is abominable and terrible and an utter denial of grace. For God’s mercy and grace are bestowed freely upon the undeserving, as St. Paul says in Rom. 5 [3:24], ‘We have been acquitted and justified freely and out of pure mercy,’ and Ps. 25 [:11], ‘For thy name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt.’ [The Psalmist] does not say, ‘for my sake,’ or, ‘for my name’s sake,’ or, ‘for my merit’s sake’ ” (LW 32:47).